President Biden Reportedly Says ‘No Comment’ When Asked About Rising Death Toll in Hawaii

Kristina Wong14 Aug 2023

President Joe Biden reportedly said he had “no comment” when asked Sunday about the rising death toll from the devastating Hawaii fires.

Bloomberg’s White House reporter Justin Sink tweeted the president’s claimed response Sunday evening from Delaware:

“After a couple hours on the Rehoboth beach, @potus was asked about the rising death toll in Hawaii,” Sink posted on X. “‘No comment,’ he said before heading home.”

Sink also posted a photo of Biden on the beach surrounded by several people in beach chairs.

Biden arrived at his beach home on Saturday in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He returned to the White House on Monday morning.

Joe Concha, a columnist for The Messenger noted Biden’s last 24 posts on X were “pats on the back from protecting land to Bidenomics.”

“You have to go back 25 to see anything regarding Maui. The president is at his beach house in Delaware, where he just gave a ‘no comment’ to a reporter asking about Maui. Stunning,” he posted.

The last time Biden posted about the fires in Hawaii was August 10, saying: “Jill and I send our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the wildfires in Maui. Our prayers are with those whose homes, businesses, and communities are destroyed.”

The wildfires in Maui are the deadliest in the United States’ modern history.

So far, at least 96 have been confirmed dead, with over 1,000 unaccounted for, as Breitbart News reported.

The fires began on Tuesday, amid severe winds caused by Hurricane Dora passing near Hawaii. One of the fires destroyed the historic city of Lahaina, which was the original capitol of the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Most of the city was burned to the ground, leaving destruction that some residents described as apocalyptic.

The damage is estimated to be over $5 billion.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/08/14/president-biden-reportedly-says-no-comment-when-asked-about-rising-death-toll-in-hawaii/

Missouri Gets Its First Safe Haven Baby Box Where Moms Can Surrender Infants

Katherine Hamilton13 Aug 2023

Missouri has joined the growing list of states installing Safe Haven Baby Boxes, which are secured incubators where mothers in crisis can surrender their newborns.

The Mehlville Fire Protection District Station 2 in St. Louis County became the location of the first baby box in the state, a local NPR affiliate reported on Sunday. The box offers mothers a safe, legal, and anonymous way to surrender newborn infants. Thirty-four babies in the United States have been surrendered via baby box since 2017.

“Today we have been given the privilege, a very special privilege, to make a difference in the lives of women in crisis that have the courage to surrender their babies to us,” said Brian Hendricks, fire chief of the Mehlville Fire Protection District, during a dedication of the new box on Tuesday. “To those women, I would say, ‘thank you. Thank you for entrusting us to care for your child. We will not let you down.’”

Hendricks added that “where there is a Safe Haven Baby Box, everybody inside that building is understanding.”

“There’s no judgment. If a woman is to a point where that is the best decision, then we are here to support that. We’ll make sure that baby is taken care of,” he said.

The baby box is built into the fire station’s exterior wall. When a person opens the door, a silent alarm goes out, and another alarm goes out once the baby is placed inside the bassinet in the box. Once the door is shut, it is locked from the outside is cannot be reopened. First responders quickly collect the baby and transport him or her to the hospital. After a medical exam, babies who are surrendered to the boxes will be adopted in 30 to 45 days. The boxes may only be installed in fire and police stations and hospitals, according to the report.

Baby boxes are installed through community funding and cost approximately $15,000-$17,000. Eleven other states have installed Safe Haven Baby Boxes so far, including Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Indiana.

The idea to install a baby box in Missouri reportedly came from a conservation state Rep. Jim Murphy had with a constituent who recommended it as a safe alternative for mothers in crisis.

Murphy said the boxes have been linked to a decrease in infant abandonment and added that while Missouri has had a Safe Haven Law since 2002, it has not been completely effective.

“First of all, not everyone knew about it,” Murphy said. “Second of all, there was a human interaction [component]. When you gave up the baby you actually had to hand it to somebody, which was something that they found was a detriment to the whole process.”

Safe Haven Baby Box founder Monica Kelsey, whose mother abandoned her just hours after her birth in 1973, told the outlet the boxes are changing lives. The Missouri location is her organization’s 157th box.

“When you take your story and you take your pain and you put it together, great things come from it,” Kelsey said. “When I learned that I was abandoned as an infant, the pain was there. And so, I thought, what can I do to make it better for others? I can’t change my beginnings, but I sure as heck can change it for somebody else.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/08/13/missouri-first-safe-haven-baby-box-surrender-newborns/

‘Really Unlawful And Wrong Things’: Top Oversight Dem Concedes Hunter Biden May Be In Trouble

Brianna LymanAugust 13, 2023

Ranking member of the House Oversight Committee Jamie Raskin said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that Hunter Biden did “really unlawful and wrong things.”

Attorney General Merrick Garland announcedFriday that David Weiss would be appointed special counsel to continue the ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden. Weiss came under scrutiny after IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley testified that Weiss was not in control of the Hunter investigation. Weiss allegedly told a group of law enforcement officials in an Oct. 22 email that he was “not the deciding person on whether charges [would be] filed” in the Hunter case. Weiss has denied those allegations.

Raskin first said the appointment is an example of “the rule of law and the justice system working itself out the way that it does” before saying “obviously, it’s bumpy and this side or that side doesn’t necessarily prefer this course of events, but our job I think as political people is to allow the justice system to run its course.”

Raskin was then confronted with recent allegations that Hunter and his father, President Joe Biden, were involved in shady business dealings. Raskin first tried to dodge the question before admitting that Hunter was “addicted to drugs and did a lot of really unlawful and wrong things.”

Raskin also said Americans should let the Justice Department “do their job.”

“And with the collapse of the plea agreement that he had apparently worked out with Hunter Biden, now he wants to be certain that he’s got the authority to bring charges wherever he wants,” Raskin said in regard to Weiss’ appointment.

Weiss’ appointment has drawn criticism from those on the right who argue Weiss was already part of the alleged problem in allowing Hunter to obtain a sweetheart deal .

(Raskin got word from Obama, “drop the Bidans)

https://dailycaller.com/2023/08/13/unlawful-wrong-oversight-dem-hunter-biden-jamie-raskin/

Pence: I’m Close to Qualifying for the Second GOP Debate

Pam Key13 Aug 2023

Former Vice President Mike Pence, a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he believed he will qualify for not only the first GOP primary debate but also the second.

Pence said, “I’m happy to meet the criteria for the upcoming presidential debates. I’m incredibly proud that more than 40,000 Americans in more than nine weeks have supported our campaign and made it possible for us to qualify for the debate stage. In fact, I think I’ll qualify for the second debate before we get to the first one because more Americans are seeing that my consistent conservative record, my years as vice president, my years as governor in Indiana, my years as a house conservative leader for 12 years are really just what the nation needs. This is no time for job training and distractions. Do we need leadership on day one that will be able to provide the team and the vision?”

Host Chuck Todd said, “Do you consider yourself a MAGA Republican?”

Pence said, “I’m incredibly proud of what we did in the Trump-Pence administration for four years, and you better believe it. In those four years, after eight years of a depression and under eight years of Obama that hollowed out our military and under the Trump-Pence administration, with the support of MAGA Americans, we did literally made America great again.”

Todd pressed, “Do you feel you’re a MAGA Republican?”

Pence said, “Look, I’m a Christian, a conservative and a Republican in that order.”

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2023/08/13/pence-im-close-to-qualifying-for-the-second-gop-debate/

Turley Warns Weiss Appointment Has Major Downside

Brianna LymanAugust 11, 2023

Fox News contributor and legal analyst Jonathan Turley said Friday that the appointment of David Weiss as special counsel has one major downside that could affect Congressional investigations into Hunter Biden.

Attorney General Merrick Garland announcedFriday that Weiss would be appointed special counsel to continue the ongoing investigation into Hunter Biden. Weiss came under scrutiny after IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley testified that Weiss was not in control of the Hunter investigation. Weiss allegedly told a group of law enforcement officials in an Oct. 2022 email that he was “not the deciding person on whether charges [would be] filed” in the Hunter case. Weiss has denied those allegations.

Fox’s Kayleigh McEnany asked Turley whether the Weiss appointment would “provide any sort of impediments for the congressional investigation into Hunter Biden and the Biden family?”

“Well, I think that’s the concern. The initial concern is whether Weiss is damaged goods,” Turley responded. “You usually appoint a special counsel who will satisfy all sides, that this is someone who doesn’t bring any baggage to the question, who can resolve these issues. These whistleblowers were critical of Weiss. You know, Weiss has suggested that he always had this authority [to charge Hunter Biden]. The whistleblowers said that he said the exact opposite to staff. They suggested he allowed statute of limitations to run. That has not been the suggestion of the Department of Justice. So, the reappointment of Weiss is gonna raise some questions.”

“As for the congressional investigations, there’s no question that making him special counsel will now make it more difficult for Congress to get answers from him and from this investigation,” he continued. “It is not likely to deter Congress, however, particularly if they are shifting towards an impeachment inquiry. And once again, it goes to, ‘What is the mandate here?’ This goes beyond Hunter Biden. They’ve already allowed critical crimes to expire.”

Turley went on to argue that, for Hunter Biden, Weiss’ appointment is “a chilling moment.”

“His counsel told the prosecutors in open court, ‘Just rip it up,'” Turley explained, referring to a plea agreement between Hunter Biden and federal prosecutors that U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika rejected in late July. “Now, I gotta tell you, as a criminal defense attorney, if I ever said that to a prosecutor in open court, my client would be toast.They would just say, ‘Well, that’s fine with us. We’ll hit you with everything we’ve got.’ So, the question is whether Weiss is going to follow that standard response and say, ‘All right, let me introduce you to my friend called [the Foreign Agents Registration Act] and you will have an indictment as a foreign agent. I’m also going to take a look at some of these other crimes. That is the cost of ripping up a deal in open court.”

The deal collapsed due to disagreements between the two parties as to the scope of Hunter’s immunity from further prosecution, including for possible FARA violations.

https://dailycaller.com/2023/08/11/jonathan-turley-david-weiss-appointment-congressional-investigation-hunter-biden/

Larry Johnson and Stephen Gardner on How Do You Launder Loads of Money

by Larry Johnson Aug. 14, 20231/2

I did not know much about Stephen Gardner until after I received his invitation for an interview. Stephen is your consummate regular guy just trying to make sense out of a confusing jumble of world events. He does not pretend to be an expert and does not require an ideological purity test for any prospective guest.

Anyway, the podcast from my first interview with Stephen generated over 700,000 views. That man has some genuine reach. One other thing I discovered about Stephen — he is a generous soul. After my first appearance on his podcast I received an incredible food gift from Stephen. He was just thanking me for taking my time to talk with him. I made no demands of any kind. He simply acted on his own. That’s a class act in my book.

Since Stephen and I spoke on Wednesday there have been some significant developments. The most important, in my view, is Russia imposing a de facto blockade on Ukrainian ports in the Black Sea. This is just one consequence of Russia’s withdrawal from the grain deal. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported:

On 13 August at about 6.40 a.m. Moscow time, the Black Sea Fleet patrol ship Vasily Bykov, which was carrying out shipping control monitoring, detected the bulk cargo ship Sukra Okan under the flag of Palau, which was on its way to the Ukrainian port of Izmail, in the south-western part of the Black Sea.

The captain of the bulk cargo ship did not respond to the request to stop for inspection for the carriage of prohibited goods.

The Russian warship opened warning fire from automatic small arms fire to forcefully stop the vessel.

In order to inspect the bulk cargo ship, a Ka-29 helicopter with a group of Russian servicemen was hoisted from the patrol ship Vasily Bykov.

Following radio conversations, the ship stopped its course and the boarding team landed on the bulk cargo ship.

After the work of the boarding team on board Sukra Okan was completed, the vessel continued its journey to the port of Izmail.

Black Sea Fleet ships continue patrolling in the designated areas.

There are still politically influential oligarchs in Ukraine that are being financially harmed by Russia’s blockade. Now that a major bite is being taken out of oligarch bank accounts it is highly likely that President Zelensky will face growing pressure to find a way to end the war and get the “commerce” back in gear. Also, don’t ignore the difficulties that this is creating for black market smugglers as well. Here is an excellent overview of how drug traffickers are using Black Sea routes…

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/08/larry-johnson-stephen-gardner-how-do-you-launder/

>>19355988

2/2

Shifting topics to the continued delusional analysis by retired U.S. Generals. Phil Breedlove did a stint as the Commander of EUCOM (i.e., U.S. European Command) and is quoted in a recent NY Times article insisting that Ukraine’s counter offensive can succeed without air power:

All of which has raised a question: Without significant air power — a pillar of the warfare tactics that the West has urged Ukraine to adopt — can the counteroffensive prevail?

The answer appears to be yes, as current and former officials in Ukraine, the United States and Europe, as well as Western defense analysts, said in interviews last week as the counteroffensive ground on, with volleys of artillery fire and drone strikes but no major breakthroughs.

But it is likely to be far more difficult without the jets.

“It will have to happen without the F-16,” said Philip M. Breedlove, a retired United States Air Force general and former NATO commander, “but I believe they can.”

A former F-16 pilot, Mr. Breedlove said there was “great benefit” for Ukraine’s forces to learn and deploy the so-called combined arms tactics that are the backbone of modern ground warfare, given that they “are going to be applicable in many different phases of what you do, no matter what.”

Nevertheless, he added, “If you expect Ukraine to fight like we fight, then they have to have the tools that we have, and we have not given them those tools.”

Breedlove “believes?” What else does he believe in? Santa Claus? The Easter Bunny? Fiji winning the World Cup? I am flabbergasted that an experienced officer like Breedlove will say something that is so out of touch with reality. Russia’s air defense system, coupled with its robust combat air force, can easily defeat any threat posed by the F-16.

Without a large number of fixed wing combat aircraft Ukraine has ZERO chance of defeating even one layer of the Surovikin defense line. ZERO! As long as these Western “experts” continue to issue this kind of propaganda it will be difficult to generate the political opposition to sending Ukraine billions of dollars of more ineffective military assistance.

What could account for Breedlove’s crazy comments? Could it be money? He does have a commercial relationship with Dyncorp and other Beltway Bandits:

DynCorp was a scandal-plagued military contractor with an expertise in military flight operations support, whose primary client was the U.S. government until its acquisition last year by Amentum, a company that boasts of its “deep relationships with customers in the U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Energy.”

Breedlove is also promoted as an “advisor” at Stellar Solutions, a consultancy that markets itself to clients needing expertise in “coalition operations” and “expert solutions for Department of Defense customers related to space and missile systems of national protection and security.”

In other words, since retiring from the Air Force, Breedlove associated himself with firms that either directly profit from military contracts, like DynCorp, or market themselves as effective consultants for defense contractors seeking to manage their relationships with the U.S. government.

Cabaret seems to explain what is going on.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/08/larry-johnson-stephen-gardner-how-do-you-launder/

Peter Navarro Obliterates Kevin McCarthy of Undermining Bill Before to Thwart Chinese Influence in US Infrastructure: “HYPOCRITE BLOWDRIED CCP B*TCH”

by Jim Hᴏft Aug. 13, 2023

In a recent appearance on POLARIS National Security with Morgan Ortagus, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy underscored the urgent need for the United States to regain control over critical mineral processing and to counter China’s strategic investments in American infrastructure, farmland, and meatpacking facilities.

However, former White House Trade Advisor Peter Navarro responded with a blistering tweet accusing McCarthy of hypocrisy and collusion with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

During the interview, McCarthy elucidated his concerns over China’s growing influence.

Below is the transcript:

China controls 90% of critical minerals, but they control 95% of the processing of critical minerals. So what does that mean?

We need to open up more mines in America. We need to invest in the ability to processing them. Medical supplies. When it comes to our food, we’re watching them buy our farmland up. We’re watching them buy into our meat packing facilities. We’re watching them invest in our infrastructure. You can’t sit here blindly when you get comments of what they’re saying now.

It’s nothing negative against the Chinese people. We’re talking about the Communist Party here. We should be investing in America, that we’re not dependent upon anybody else. If we should learn anything from Europe, dependency makes you weak.

In a tweet, McCarthy wrote, “The Chinese Communist Party wants us to depend on them for – Critical minerals – Medical supplies – Agricultural goods And a lot more. Now more than ever, we must protect our national security and END our dependence on China.”

Despite McCarthy’s strong words, Navarro was quick to challenge his sincerity, accusing McCarthy of singlehandedly blocking a bill that would have prevented Communist China from building U.S. rail and subway systems.

“This asshole singlehandedly nixed a bill when I was in the White House that would have prevented Communist China from building our rail and subway systems because he had a China bus plant in his district. HYPOCRITE BLOWDRIED CCP B*TCH,” Navarro wrote.

Peter Navarro, a key figure in shaping U.S. trade policy during the Trump administration, has been an outspoken critic of Communist China, particularly regarding trade practices and economic policies.

As the former Director of the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy and Assistant to President Trump, Navarro played a significant role in shaping the Trump administration’s trade policy toward China.

Perhaps most notably, Navarro was instrumental in crafting the trade policies that led to a series of tariffs on Chinese goods.

According to the Tax Foundation, “The Trump administration imposed several rounds of tariffs, amounting to an $80 billion tax increase on $380 billion worth of imports (based on 2018 values), ranging from thousands of products from China to steel and aluminum and washing machines and solar panels.”

Navarro has been vocal about the need for the United States to reduce dependency on China, particularly in critical industries like pharmaceuticals, technology, and manufacturing. He has emphasized the potential national security risks associated with reliance on Chinese supply chains.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/08/peter-navarro-obliterates-kevin-mccarthy-undermining-bill-before/

Trump Is in Iowa, Playing Cat and Mouse With DeSantis

Rick Moran

I used to have a cat that was a self-taught mouser. While the instinct to hunt is inbred in them, cats usually need to be taught by their mothers how to kill prey.

Not my Ebony. But before delivering the fatal bite to the back of the mouse’s neck, she’d play with the creature — torture it, really. She’d catch the mouse and give a good going over, slapping it around and biting it in non-fatal areas. Then, she’d let it go.

The mouse, believing it had been delivered, would begin to limp away. Just before it reached the safety of some cubbyhole, Ebony would pounce, slamming the poor thing’s head against the floor, stunning it. She had variations on the game where she’d actually turn her back on her prey, pretending disinterest, before unerringly leaping upon the mouse just before it escaped. In this, the psychological torture of the mouse apparently added to Ebony’s enjoyment.

The game could last an hour or more. Finally, tiring of the sport, Ebony would deliver the fatal bite and saunter off to eat real cat food.

Donald Trump is not a cat. But since 2015, I have been writing about his feral instincts as a politician — easily the best I’ve seen in watching politics for nearly half a century. He knows exactly where his opponent’s weaknesses are and how to attack them. And his lack of morals makes him absolutely ruthless when he’s on the offensive.

Both Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will be in Iowa today. DeSantis is at the Iowa State Fair to look for votes. The Florida governor trails Trump by 24 points in the state, according to a recent Sienna poll. Trump’s lead is much larger nationally.

Trump was in Iowa not specifically for votes, but rather to troll the Florida governor. Trump had several Florida congressmen in tow when he arrived in Iowa, highlighting the fact that he is more popular in Florida than DeSantis.

Axios:

Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Byron Donalds, Matt Gaetz, Carlos Gimenez, Brian Mast, Cory Mills, Anna Paulina Luna, Greg Steube and Mike Waltz will accompany Trump to the annual fair, a staple of the Iowa circuit that DeSantis will also attend, the Des Moines Register reports.

Trump has spurned several GOP “cattle call” events in Iowa and has feuded with the state’s popular Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is hosting a “fair-side chat” series with candidates on Saturday. Trump is not planning to attend a public chat with Reynolds.

The DeSantis campaign responded to news of Trump’s troll with a two-word tweet: “Rent free.”

Zoom out: DeSantis has been campaigning aggressively in the first-of-the-nation caucus state, attending nearly 30 counties as of Saturday, the New York Times reported. His campaign says he plans to visit all 99 counties in the state.

At this point, Trump needs DeSantis as a foil — a punching bag to try out attack lines. And DeSantis is still trying to “right the ship” and reboot his campaign.

It could be going better.

CNN:

The super PAC supporting DeSantis’ campaign announced Friday that it has at least one chairperson in all 99 of Iowa’s counties, a move that will strengthen the Florida governor’s organizing muscle.

At a taping Thursday of the conservative podcast “Ruthless,” DeSantis said he intends to visit every Iowa county. He also jabbed at Trump for so far refusing to commit to the first GOP presidential debate, in Milwaukee on August 23.

“You got to be willing to answer questions,” DeSantis said. “You’ve got to be willing to defend your record, and you’ve got to articulate a vision for the future.”

Trump will arrive at the State Fair about 1 p.m. — long after DeSantis has left. Whether DeSantis can make a stirring comeback or not, he knows it has to begin in Iowa. And so far, Iowans aren’t helping his cause.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/rick-moran/2023/08/12/trump-is-in-iowa-playing-cat-and-mouse-with-desantis-n1718608

I’m listening to Bannons War Room on Maui, sheila Walker in Maui is saying people were just turned to ash…will post when finished. She said it was just like like 911, absolutely the same

https://rumble.com/v22gcz0-warroom-live.html

>>19356467

Stfu

>>19356477

Stfu assholes

>>19356510

True that

>>19356338

This was announced shortly after Maui on RT

12 Aug, 2023

China makes weapons ‘breakthrough’ (Maui?)

Beijing’s military scientists have claimed success in enabling high-energy lasers to operate “indefinitely” without overheating

Chinese military scientists have reported a research breakthrough that could make it possible for Beijing to develop high-energy laser weapons that can shoot for as long as their operators desire, without interruption and without any degradation in performance.

Scientists at the National University of Defense Technology in Changsha, China, published the results of their research earlier this month in Acta Optica Sinica, a peer-reviewed Chinese journal. They claim to have developed a new cooling system that makes it possible to operate high-energy lasers “indefinitely,” without any effects from overheating.

“This is a huge breakthrough in improving the performance of high-energy laser systems,”the team said in its research paper. “High-quality beams can be produced not only in the first second, but also maintained indefinitely.”

The cooling system controls gas flows to remove heat from inside a laser weapon, preventing vibration and disruptions in performance. It can enable longer operation, increased range and greater firepower, the scientists said. They noted that 60 years on from the invention of the first ruby laser, weapons developers haven’t been able to create “death rays that can instantly kill targets.”

Some of the most high-profile US laser weapons projects have been canceled, despite shooting down targets in testing. “The true reason for the cancellation of these projects was that their destructive power did not meet expectations,” the Chinese scientists said. Longer, continuous operation times are needed to extend the range of laser weapons beyond a few kilometers, they said.

Such weapons generate high-energy beams that heat up the gas in their path as they pass through the air, creating turbulence. This effect can distort the beam, diminishing its accuracy and strength. The heated gases can also contaminate the mirrors in a laser weapon, reducing performance and potentially damaging a system.

The Chinese researchers said they developed a system that blows gas through the weapon to remove waste heat and keep the mirrors clear. Their technology is already being used in a number of laser weapons that the Chinese military has under development.

Beijing reportedly intends to use such weapons against drones, missiles and aircraft. They also could be used to target satellites, disrupting enemy communications, navigation and surveillance capabilities.

https://www.rt.com/news/581201-china-makes-weapons-breakthrough/

>>19356338

Poso said on Bannon this looks like a Military burst, type of energy weapon it definitely doesn’t look like a wild fire. Dogs and people charred to the earth. Something really wrong on Maui. Now the big agencies have come in and closed all communication down. They have locked down the people in camps and are attempting to issue papers to people so they can move around

14 Aug, 2023

Russia open to military-technical cooperation with other states – Putin

Moscow is seeking to develop equal technological partnerships with countries that want to defend their national interests

Moscow is willing to furtherdevelop military-technical cooperation with other countriesthat understand the importance of building an equal and indivisible security system, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an address to the Army-2023 expo on Monday.

“Russia is open to deepening equal technological partnership and military-technical cooperation with other countries, with everyone who defends their national interests, their independent path of development, and considers it fundamentally important to build together an equal indivisible security system that would reliably protect each state,” he said in a video message to participants at the forum.

The Russian leader noted that, over the past several years, the Army expo has become recognized as one of the world’s largest forums on modern military products and innovations, and has contributed to the development of military-technical cooperation and multifaceted relations between Russia and other nations.

Putin noted that more than 1,500 Russian enterprises were presenting over 28,500 samples of modern military and dual-use products at stands, expositions and training grounds at Patriot Park near Moscow during the expo. The business program of the forum also features 250 events dedicated to the diversification of the military-industrial complex and the development of artificial intelligence technologies.

“Russia has something to offer in these breakthrough, promising areas. Year by year, we have a growing market for products that use artificial intelligence technologies,” the president said.

Putin added that more and more foreign military-industrial companies had started participating in the forum, noting that last year there were 32 foreign companies exhibiting products at the event, while this year that number is 82.

Russia intends to further develop cooperation with other countries in a variety of areas, Putin said, including training foreign military personnel conducting joint strategic command-and-staff exercises.

The Army 2023 forum kicked off outside Moscow on Monday, August 14 and will run for a week. The annual event is being held at multiple venues, including the Patriot Expo venue, as well as the Kubinka Air Base and Alabino military training grounds.

Negotiations at last year’s expo led to the signing of numerous contracts between various parties worth a total of over 500 billion rubles, or nearly $8 billion at the time.

https://www.rt.com/russia/581248-putin-russia-army-expo/

14 Aug, 2023

Kenya investigating UK army ‘misconduct,’ reports say

Nairobi’s defense committee will probe allegations of murder, sexual abuse and ethical breaches by British troops

Kenya’s government has reportedly begun an investigation into the operations of the British Army Training Unit (BATUK), whose soldiers have been accused of murder and of abuse, as well as inflicting environmental and property damage.

Nairobi’s parliamentary defense committee will invite the public to submit petitions on any alleged crimes committed by UK soldiers, the Guardian and local outlets reported. Inquiries are set to begin in October into alleged ethical breaches, human-rights violations, and the operational integrity of BATUK personnel.

BATUK, one of the UK’s largest military training centers abroad, is facing numerous allegations of wrongdoing in the East African country, with its activities being blamed for causing damage to land near its base in Nanyuki, about 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of Nairobi.

The forces using the center are also accused of murdering a woman, 21-year-old Agnes Wanjiru, in Nanyuki, the town in Laikipia County where the UK army’s permanent garrison is located, in 2012.

Wanjiru’s mutilated body was discovered in a septic tank at a hotel in Nanyuki, weeks after she’d spent the night partying with British troops.

A Kenyan inquiry in 2019 concluded that British soldiers were responsible for her death and ordered additional investigations. To date, no charges have been brought forward by prosecutors.

Kenya and its former colonizer have a defense cooperation agreement in place that allows the British army to operate in Nairobi. The Kenya-UK Defence Cooperation Agreement was ratified in April, following a wave of protests from communities near the army base and renewed anger over Wanjiru’s unsolved case, sparked by reports of a British soldier having confessed to her murder.

The defense committee of the East African country reportedly expects the results of its findings will be submitted to parliament by the end of the year.

Claims that the British military uses dangerous chemicals during training exercises, allegations of sexual abuse, and the case of Wanjiru’s murder will all be examined.

Earlier, Anthony Theuri Wambui, Deputy Speaker of Laikipia County Assembly, told RT that he agrees with the government’s decision to investigate the soldiers’ actions. According to the official, British army officers murdered Wanjiru, and her family is still seeking justice after more than a decade.

Kenyan lawyer Kelvin Kubai told the Guardian that the investigation is a “significant” move as it’s the “first time that British army activities are being reviewed in this way” since Nairobi gained independence from the UK in 1963.

https://www.rt.com/africa/581245-kenya-investigating-uk-army-misconduct/